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- January 2025 Viewing Diary
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Two Ray Charles stories come to mind. First, when I saw him at the Universal Amphitheater in the early 1990s. He did a beautiful, deeply considered version of “Georgia On My Mind. After he finished, I did a quick calculation in my head: he recorded the song in 1960, so he’d been performing it for more than 30 years; estimating 200 concerts per years, that meant he’d performed the song more than 6,000 times. And he somehow still managed to make it sound newborn.
Second, when I visited the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. There are interactive viewing screens where you can search for an artist, hear their music, and learn who their influences were. I was looking at one when I felt a tap on my side. Looking down, I saw a young boy, maybe six or seven, who asked me how to use the screen. I was suddenly struck by the knowledge that this might be the first time this kid had been exposed to the music, so who should I play for him? I figured I couldn’t go wrong with Ray Charles, so I cued up “What’d I Say?” and handed the kid his headphones. A minute or so later, I looked over and saw he was dancing in place in front of his viewer. That was a genuinely happy moment for me, for which I’ll always be grateful to Ray.
// he recorded the song in 1960, so he’d been performing it for more than 30 years; estimating 200 concerts per years, that meant he’d performed the song more than 6,000 times. And he somehow still managed to make it sound newborn. //
That is just incredible. What a pro.
// A minute or so later, I looked over and saw he was dancing in place in front of his viewer. That was a genuinely happy moment for me, //
That is so beautiful!